The Region of Waterloo has appointed an interim water commissioner to help address its ongoing water capacity issue.

Starting Feb. 23, Kenneth Brothers will step in as interim commissioner of water services and wastewater operations. The region says he will collaborate with local municipalities, developers and provincial officials to prioritize projects that boost water capacity, improve operational reliability and prepare the system for future growth.

This work includes overseeing day-to-day repairs and maintenance, fast-tracking infrastructure upgrades and guiding longer-term projects designed to increase the region’s water supply.

“We are pleased to welcome Kenneth Brothers to the Region of Waterloo,” acting chief administrative officer Mathieu Goetzke said in a statement earlier this week. “His expertise and proven track record in the water sector will be essential as we work through this challenge.”.”

Brothers is a professional engineer, Fellow of the International Water Association and an international speaker on best practices in water utility management. He has held senior leadership roles in several Ontario municipalities and previously served as chair of the Regional Public Works Commissioners of Ontario.

“I am deeply committed to working alongside partners and the community to shape solutions that strengthen the community for the long-term water sustainability in the region,” Brothers said in the statement.

Water quality not an issue

Regional officials first raised concerns in December about water capacity in the Mannheim service area, which supplies Kitchener, Waterloo and parts of Cambridge, Woolwich Township and Wilmot Township.

The region has stressed the issue is not about water quality and that residents do not need to change their water use. Instead, it is about ensuring infrastructure can deliver water where growth is happening.

“We have the water, it’s just not in the part of the region where development is happening,” Regional Chair Karen Redman said.

Because of uncertainty around available capacity, the region has said it cannot currently support new development applications in the affected area. Council has approved hiring nine staff, including engineers and technicians, to focus on the issue and avoid overloading existing employees.

Immediate and short-term efforts focus on repairing and upgrading the Greenbrook and Mannheim treatment plants, constructing new facilities, and testing innovative technologies through pilot projects.

While capital costs this year are projected at $2 million, longer-term upgrades could exceed $90 million. The region is seeking support and expedited approvals from the province’s environment and municipal affairs ministries as it works to move projects forward.